


Softer Than Butterfly Wings

by Hoodoo



Series: A Sin and A Virtue [2]
Category: Rick and Morty
Genre: Developing Relationship, Kissing, M/M, Touching, Uncertainty, unexpected
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 12:00:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16263779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hoodoo/pseuds/Hoodoo
Summary: Wrath surprises Kindness with something he never really expected from the Sin Rick





	Softer Than Butterfly Wings

Wrath was near.

Kindness could always tell. Wrath smelled of sweat. He exuded an aura of aggression. There were always cracking knuckles and barely contained under-the-breath grumblings. Wrath was not subtle.

This time, however--

Kindness sat quietly. This time of day, the sun was high in the sky and on this specific spot on the bench it blazed down between the branches of the tree above. The seat was warm and the heat was pleasant. Birdsong was a background filler. A combination of lilac and honeysuckle was on the air; those two flowers didn’t grow together naturally, but the Rick known as Doofus planted what he wanted, when he wanted, not whatever was dictated by the seasons, here on the Citadel.

It was a nice afternoon, relaxing here. He hoped Wrath would be able to enjoy it as well. Sometimes he simply couldn’t.

The sense of Wrath coming closer was almost a physical push. Quietly, Kindness waited, and with a heavy thump, Wrath sat beside him.

Expecting his friend to start ranting, like normal, Kindness was surprised when it didn’t happen. There were no heavy sighs, no growling, no request for the hairbrush. Wrath’s breath was quicker, of course; the seemingly never ending adrenaline that coursed through his veins made it difficult for him to slow down and take deep breaths. He was always ready to scrap.

But he remained silent. 

For the first time, Kindness broke the silence between them. He raised his hand and reached to where he’d learned the other man would be, saying, 

“Wrath . . .?”

He let the name dangle like a question. His fingers, meaning to land on his friend’s shoulder, met Wrath’s jaw instead. They skipped along it while Kindness tried to puzzle out this new and odd position his friend was in--twisted towards him? Closer than normal? Head hanging?--until Wrath snatched his hand by the wrist.

Kindness wasn’t startled; Wrath wasn’t incredibly comfortable being touched. Not being released quickly was startling, however. 

Wrath wasn’t hostile. His grip was solid, but not painful. Kindness took a breath, and waited.

Wrath shifted on the bench. He seemed uncomfortable and uneasy. A few times Kindness heard him open his mouth and take a breath like he was about to say something, but he didn’t speak. Kindness continued to wait.

After a few moments in this stretched silence, a slight movement of air near his face let Kindness know Wrath had lifted his free hand. He did not flinch when his friend’s sharp-tipped fingers brushed his cheek, to his jaw. His sense of touch was astute enough to feel the faint tremble in Wrath’s hand during the caress. 

He had no idea what purpose Wrath might have touching his face like that. He also didn’t ask; Wrath was finely tuned to any questioning that may be construed as threatening and tended to snarl back, even if it was in no way meant to be.

The hand went away. Kindness’s own hand was dropped. The two sat quietly for a moment more, then in an unexpected movement Wrath’s hands, both of them, cupped Kindness’s jaw. In a split second, he gathered unseen information: Wrath’s fingernails dug slightly into the skin of his neck, the tremor he’d felt was still present, there was a not-entirely-unpleasant smell of sweat that wafted closer as Wrath apparently leaned closer physically, and before Kindness could say anything or move--

\--Wrath kissed him delicately on one eyelid, then the other.

As quickly as it’d occurred, Wrath released him. One of Kindness’s hands went to his own face, touching the spot that had just been grazed by his friend’s lips. Before he could say anything or respond, however, Wrath pushed up and away from the bench.

Kindness heard and felt Wrath moving away, back down the path he’d used to arrive. He was left alone, in the warm sunlight, with a thousand questions swirling in his head. 

_fin._

**Author's Note:**

> Would you like to see how they met?  
> [Death Match](https://dorklyevil.tumblr.com/post/178573941546/origins-wrath-and-kindness-yeah-sooo-i-pictured)
> 
> Check out [dorklyevil](https://dorklyevil.tumblr.com/) for so much more!!


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